student photo contest winners announced

Thursday, February 27, 2014

We have selected the winners of the the UMass UWW Show us Your Study Habits Photo Contest. For the contest, UMass UWW students were invited to submit photos- from the mundane and serious to the touching to the humorous- that exemplified the persistent, creative, do-what-you-gotta-do attitude of adult students. Thanks to everyone who submitted photos!

Drum roll........ And the winner of the spring, 2014 Show us Your Study Habits Photo Contest is 38 year old UMass UWW student Annie DeCoteau of West Springfield, MA. In her first semester, this mother of five runs RISE Artisan Bakery,a residential wholesale company specializing in artisan breads. She also coordinates the CSA distribution for a local farm.

"I have 5 children ages 14, 11, 9, 5, and 3. They are busy kids! Each child is in a different school, high school, middle school, elementary school, a kindergarten, and a preschool, and they all play sports, so it can be a logistical mess sometimes.

On top of that both my husband and I are enrolled in school. He works as a farmer while also attending Springfield Technical Community College full time. Thankfully my strengths are organization and time management and both are necessary to successfully navigate each day.

I bake early in the morning and late at night. After I get each child and my husband off to school, I have three hours a morning to dedicate to coursework. I also log on while the bread is baking. My husband has been a huge support for me. Without him, I wouldn’t be able to juggle it all. It’s pretty crazy at times, but I am so thankful to have this opportunity to finish my degree."

second place

Taking second is 27 year old UMass UWW student Sarah Hebert of Pennsylvania who is completing her bachelor's degree with a concentration in Writing and Literary Studies. Describing her photo submission she says, "This is me working hard on my winter session course, My Body My Health. I have my study buddy, Remy, with me and some headphones on so I can tune out the Sunday football game that everyone else is watching! I have my UWW sticker on my laptop and I am ready to learn!"

third place

Third place goes to 39year old Laura Budd of Pennsylvania. Seen here with her son Eli, Laura is completing her bachelor's degree with a concentration in Human Development and Behavior. In this photo we especially love the basket of laundry peeking out from the corner of the photo.